Ghukasyan Asks for Bail; Court to Consider the Petition

Political activist Andreas Ghukasyan, who ran for president in 2013 and is now under arrest and awaiting trial on charges stemming from the 2016 Sasna Dzrer incident, today petitioned a Yerevan court to be freed on 1.5 AMD bail.

Ghukasyan told the court that he has a minor daughter and a sick mother to take care of, and that he doesn’t pose a flight risk.

State prosecutor Petros Petrosyan countered, claiming that Ghukasyan (a leader of the Rise Up Armenia movement), is charged with two serious crimes, one being that he organized mass public disorder.

In his defense, Ghukasyan said that the court must consider the character, morals and ties to the state when deciding whether or not to grant bail.

Judge Vardan Grigoryan retired to his chamber to review the bail petition.